Improvement in attaching and detaching horses



J. K. HARRIS.

Detachipg Horses.

Patented May 14, 1 867.

Inventor:

Witnesses:

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JOHN K. HARRIS, OF 'MADISO N, INDIANA Letters Patent No. 64,666, dated Zh'ay 1- 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN ATTACHING AND BET-AGEING HORSES, ducdlgt seam norm in in flgesc game intent nut mating part at 1132 same.

TO WHOM. IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN K. HARRIS, of Madison, Jefferson county, Indiana, have invented a new and useful IIitching Device for Draught Animals; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

This invention relates to a compact, strong, and easily operated device for the hitching and unhitching of carriage horses, whereby expense is reduced and convenience and safety attained.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shaft and harness port-ions detached.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same attached. I

.' A represents a portion of a carriage-shaft, screwed fast to which is a plate, B, whose forward end is furnished with a hook or lip, O, and at a suitable distance in the rear thereof with a lug, D, having a slot, d, for the traverse of a sliding spring-bolt, E, which bolt is restricted to its proper path by guides F F on the plate aforesaid. In the hitched condition a hook, G, on the sliding .bolt, co-acts with the lug D and the lip C to hold the hitching-buckle. to be presently explained. A spiral spring, H, interposed between the rear guide F and a shoulder e on the sliding bolt, operates to hold said bolt securely to its forward or hitching position. An eye or ring, I, at the rearend of the sliding bolt, affords a means of attachment of a wire, rod, or thong, by which,

in concert with its fellow bolt on' the other shaft, the said bolt maybe drawn back to its releasing position. A flaring tongue, J, projecting from the forward end ofthe sliding bolt, serves to effect the disengagement of the hitching-buckle by the retraction of the said bolt as aforesaid. Theportion of my hitching device which is fastened to the harness, and which I call. the buckle R, is composed of a pair of tubes K K, united into a single frame by means of cross-bars LL L L, and a loop, M, which serves for the attachment of the hold-back strap. The tubes are closed in front by heads N, which heads are perforated, n, to receive the two parallel limbs o o of a draw-bar, O, for the draught-strap, which bar is held to the represent-ed backward position by a pair of spiral springs P P, whose front ends bear against the said heads N, and whose rear ends bear against collars Q Q on the rear extremities of the limbs o 0. Those portions of the tubes K K situated between the two middle crossbars I. L, serve for the attachment of the back and belly-bands respectively.

The operations of hitching and unhitching areas follows: The front cross-bar L of buckle R is inserted in the hook O of plate B, and by pressing the rear cross-bar L against the inclined surface on the hook G of the sliding bolt E, said bolt is forced back and the said rear cross-bar engages with the lug D. The reaction of the hook Gr maintains this engagement until said sliding bolt is withdrawn, when the inclined surface of the tongue J forces the cross-bar oil of the lug, and thus effects a complete disengagement of the horse and vehicle. 7

This arrangement is believed to possess, over my own and other previously patented devices of this kind, the advantages of far greater strength and compactness, the draught being right in line with the centre of the buckle, and the points of engagement and resistance being precisely in the line of draught.

I claim herein as new, and of my invention- 1. The horse-hitching device, releasable by the driver, consisting essentially of the hooked plate 13, selfengaging bolt E, and buckle R, substantially as set forth.

2. The buckle proper, consisting of the double tubular frame, with the pair of spiral springs P P, and the draw-bar O, substantially as described. I I

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN K. HARRIS. Witnesses:

Gno. I-I. KNIGHT,

ARCHIBALD S. REID. 

